Saturday, December 29, 2012

Possums and Tuis


Angry possum. Photo: Animal Health Board. Possum
In its native land the possum is up against dingoes, bush fires and less palatable vegetation. In New Zealand there are no predators and lots of very palatable vegetation. As a result, possums have a huge impact on New Zealand ecosystems.

I have had a possum trap set for a few days under my plum tree with no success.  I use a piece of carrot with Chinese Five Spice as the attractant.  Yesterday afternoon I put more of the spice on the carrot.  Last night I went to bed at about 10.15 and shortly afterwards I heard the trap go off.  (It is a Timms Trap that kills them).

This morning just after 6 a.m. I managed, with some difficulty, to remove the possum from the trap and, as the carrot had not been touched I re-set it leaving it covered during the day.

This afternoon I was sitting on the middle terrace with a friend eating an ice cream when a Tui came down to my "home-made" bird  bath.  It had a great bath throwing water everywhere and wasn't worried about us sitting talking a few feet away.  It flew up into the Puriri tree for a few minutes then back down for another bath.

I then got my camera but before it came back Roger arrived to mow the lawns so I got the washing in and we went indoors.  Hopefully, I will get a chance to take a video some other day.

10 comments:

  1. I use a great glob of peanut butter catches possums every time....and my grandson ;o)

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    1. I didn't realise you had possums over there. Grandsons maybe!!

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  2. we used an apple, cut in pieces, and a friend ,his best way was to sprinkle a " FLOUR TRAIL" and he said that led the possum right into the trap, he had one of the old sort, a wire cage one. I was always scared one of our cats would go to the Timms trap, but was assured that they were safe, as the whiskers were too wide for the gap. looking forward to a video. Cheers from Jean

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    1. I have used a Timms trap for years with no problems - even so, when I heard the trap go off at about 10.30 I went down the garden in my nightie to make sure it was a possum I had caught!!!!!!!!!

      The carrot works well. Apples not so plentiful at present.

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  3. Good job re the possum - very destructive critters. I love the tui song which is the first song and last song of the day. We have many that live at our place now due to our native trees we have planted.
    Love Leanne

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  4. Ewww that possum looks nasty. Good job on removing it from the trap yourself. Wow what a beautiful coloured blue, and I do love the colour blue.

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  5. Our possums are white and look so innocuous. Live in trees, eat bugs and leaves. Occasionally cross roads and lose their lives. They look like little Tasmanian Devils at your house! I wonder if I would have the nerve to even set a trap.

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  6. I really don't like possums. They get most of my apples every year and what the possums don't get, the wasps do. You are very brave setting the trap yourself and removing the remains, I couldn't do it. The US possum Joanne talks about is an entirely different animal and a much nicer one!

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  7. Possums look vicious little beggars - bit like the grey squirrels here. Hope you're getting lots of sunshine xx

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  8. No Possums here, just annoying Frenchmen; no trap is big enough!

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